Almost unbelievably in this time of hysteria surrounding gasoline prices, the Virginia Senate passed a bill to raise gas taxes by $0.06. That is 1.5% of the retail price of gasoline right now.
According to the API (pdf), the surrounding states all have higher tax rates currently and this increase would bring us into line with them and still well below the national average of $0.494. Considering the funding shortfall in Virgina's transportation budget, this seems like a small price to pay. I'd rather pay the money to VDOT than Saudi but I'm sure politics will rule and we will do without new roads instead of forcing politicians to go on the record favoring a tax increase that is probably in our long term interest, no matter how small.
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